


A picture tells 1000 words

by Estie



Category: Cormoran Strike Series - Robert Galbraith
Genre: F/M, Robin Ellacott and Cormoran Strike's Champagne at the Ritz
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-03-09
Updated: 2021-03-11
Packaged: 2021-03-15 17:27:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,283
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29936868
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Estie/pseuds/Estie
Summary: Everyone has their own theory about what happened when Strike and Robin had champagne at the Ritz. This is mine.
Relationships: Robin Ellacott/Cormoran Strike
Comments: 7
Kudos: 49





	1. Chapter 1

Robin woke up the day after her 30th birthday to her phone vibrating.

She picked it up and read a text from Ilsa.

_Is there something you need to tell me_ _😉?_

Robin sat up and noted she had six unread text messages and as many missed calls.

One of the messages was from her Mum.

_Call me_

it said tersely.

Then

_I don’t appreciate finding out important things about you in the press._

There was a URL at the bottom of the text message.

Puzzled, and with a feeling of trepidation, Robin clicked on the link. It opened to a giant picture of her and Strike on the website of one of the UK’s tackiest tabloids.

**_DEVOTED DECTECTIVE DUO’S PASSIONATE PARTNERSHIP_ **

screamed the headline.

Robin’s jaw dropped open as she read the accompanying story.

_London’s most successful private detectives Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott may be the masters of disguise but there is no disguising the passion they have for one another._

_The loved-up pair appeared to be celebrating more than just another successful case as they sipped champagne at the Ritz last night. Strike’s newly grown beard could not hide the longing he has for his glamourous – and recently divorced – assistant –_

“Partner,” muttered Robin, furiously.

_The devoted duo locked eyes all night, with Strike frequently reaching across the table to grasp Ms Ellacott’s hand as he spoke to her with reverence and passion._

_Our spy could not catch exactly what was being said but Ms Ellacott did not seem to object. She grasped her former mentor’s hand in response, locked eyes with him and nodded, a smile of pure delight spreading across her face._

There was more but Robin had dropped the phone in disgust, only to pick it up and stare earnestly at the image the photographer had captured.

Well… if she was willing to be honest, she could understand the mistake someone might have made.

She and Strike were sitting opposite one another, both hands grasped, gazing earnestly into each other’s eyes. If she had seen this photo out of context, she too might have mistaken it for a marriage proposal or a mutual declaration of unending devotion.

Which maybe, in some way, it had been. But not like that tabloid was implying. Nothing like that at all.

She recalled the previous evening with pleasure.

She and Strike had been sitting opposite one another at the Ritz. They had just clinked glasses and Strike had drunk to her health. Robin put down her glass and gazed earnestly at Strike.

“This is lovely Strike. But why?”

Strike shrugged, as restrained and reserved as ever.

“I owe you. From that night when we interviewed Carl Oakden. Couldn’t take you to the Ritz then.”

Robin spluttered with laughter.

“I was being ridiculous when I said that I wanted to go to the Ritz. You know that.”

Strike looked at her with a half-smile.

“Course I do,” he said. “But you were right.”

Robin waited, knowing there was more.

Strike swallowed, taking a tentative step out onto the precipice. There was no pretending now, no room to blame what he said or did next on excessive alcohol consumption.

“That night,” he said finally, “was the night I admitted to myself what you really meant to me; what you had become.”

Robin reached out her hand and grasped his. “I know,” she said gently. “Best mates. You told me so. The feeling is mutual.”

She didn’t know if he meant anything else and she wanted to give him an out.

“Best mates,” Strike agreed. “But also, so much more. I couldn’t, I can’t, imagine any aspect of my life without you in it.

“The agency,” he continued, “the one good thing in my life that I haven’t fucked up yet and that’s because of you. I can’t imagine, I wouldn’t want to, run it without you. And there’s the rub…”

Robin gazed into Strike’s eyes, understanding. _I love you , I want you,_ he was saying in actions, if not words. _But I can’t risk the agency; I can’t risk losing everything._

Robin nodded. “The feeling is mutual, Strike. I can’t imagine anything I would want more than running the agency with you.”

She picked up her glass of champagne.

“This is lovely Strike,” she said again. “But that day in Skegness having fish and chips after interviewing Steven Douthwaite and Donna… that’s what I really love… Matt couldn’t understand… I don’t think anyone understands… except you.”

Strike tipped his glass towards Robin.

“You are a woman in a million Ellacott. You are the most exceptional person I know.”

“You are pretty exceptional yourself, Strike.”


	2. Chapter 2

Strike turned over in bed, trying to ignore the buzz of his phone. It was still dark outside, and he had been having a particularly pleasant dream of eating fish and chips with his business partner in a cosy little pub by the sea shore.

As he gradually woke up, Strike recognised the pub as The Victory Inn at St Mawes, a venue he had never been to with Robin. What was she doing in St Mawes?

_ Bring bring _ , went Strike’s phone.

“Shit!” Strike swore, waking up completely. “St Mawes. Uncle Ted. Please, please, please,” he begged the universe as he picked up the phone, half-expecting to see a call from Lucy, telling him that Ted had been taken to hospital or worse…

_ Thank goodness _ . It was only Nick. Although why the fuck would Nick be calling him at – he glanced at the time on his phone – at 6:25am?

“Nick” he barked urgently. “What’s up? Is Ilsa all right?”

He couldn’t think of any other reason Nick would be calling him so early in the morning.”

“Ilsa?” Nick replied, sounding surprised. “Oh, she’s fine, more than fine really. Deliriously happy, actually.”

Strike sucked in his breath, holding in his temper. Couldn’t Nick have waited until later in the day to break the news that Ilsa was pregnant again? 

But Nick didn’t mention Ilsa.

“Is Robin there?” he asked diffidently.

“Why the fuck would Robin be here?” Strike replied, annoyed. “It’s 6:30 in the morning!”

“Well, I thought, Ilsa thought, that after last night,,,” Nick trailed off, sounding embarrassed.

“What about last night?” Strike demanded.

“It’s in the paper. The two of you at the Ritz.”

Strike burst out laughing. “Ilsa’s getting excited about a snippet in a gossip column?” he asked. “Yeah, I took Robin to the Ritz last night, for a drink for her birthday. She damn earned it with all the crap she had to put up with this year. So what?”

“Oggy, there are **_pictures_** ,” Nick said.

Strike winced. “Well, it was inevitable the press would get a more recent photo of me. Guess it’s time for me to shave the beard off.”

“It’s not your beard I’d be worried about,” said Nick darkly. “They’ve got pictures of you and Robin together.”

Strike laughed. “So what? We do work together occasionally.”

“You two don’t look like you are working. Or even just having a drink”

Strike scratched his belly as he thought back to the previous evening. Had the paparazzi got a snap of him handing a Liberty bag to Robin. Or her kissing his cheek? Hardly anything to stress about. He couldn’t think of anything incriminating because there was nothing incriminating. He and Robin had agreed. No matter what they felt for each other, the agency came first. Although the fact Robin cared as much for the job as he did, and seemed to agree they should not act on their desires, paradoxically made him want her even more.

“I’m sending you a link now, Oggy,” Nick continued. “Call me after you’ve seen it,”

**Author's Note:**

> This was meant to be a one-shot but I need to get Strike's response to the article and photo. And work out what Robin is going to say to her mum and Ilsa. Eventually.


End file.
